You may have noticed that former X Factor star is now appearing in the Postcode Lottery adverts, we recently spoke to him about how he came out and why he’s no good at one night stands.
He told us that he first knew he was gay from the age of eight but came out to his parents when he was 17-years-old.
So what does he look for in a date?
He told us that he’s not into one night stands, he said, “I cannot do one night stands. I’m particularly sh*tty at doing that.
“I cannot just randomly hook up with people. I have to actually know them and know their middle name, and know what school they went to and how many brothers and sisters they have. It’s just f**king stupid stuff. I think I can name every single person I’ve ever slept with. Their surname and what their dog is called. Just because I need to have a background on people. I cannot just sleep with weird people.”
Alice, the central character of Dust, is dead, looking on as the aftermath of her suicide causes unexpected reactions. Don’t expect Patrick Swayze style saucy potters’ wheels or James Stewart’s revelations about how wonderful life is, though. This is certainly not one of those kinds of stories. Life for Alice hasn’t been wonderful at all due to crippling depression. Sounds like the bleakest show ever? Thankfully, at the hands of writer/performer Milly Thomas this is a compelling story that has raw humour and is half gut-wrenchingly sad and half gut-achingly funny.
She’s a 21st-century woman who just happens to have been suffering from intractable depression. She’s also totally relatable. Embarrassing relatives, uncomfortable sex and a boyfriend with a penis that looks like a five-year-olds’ drawing of a mushroom: who hasn’t experienced one (or all) of the above?
Occasionally gross, frequently candid and eminently likeable, it’s hard not to root for Alice, even though you know what’s coming for her. This is a rarely innovative handling of a sensitive subject with all the taboos ripped away.
This article originally appeared in the Motley Fool. Read the original article. Those investing in cryptocurrencies like bitcoin recently got a refresher course in Newton’s third law of motion: “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction” — or put more simply: “What goes up, must come down.” (more…)
A conservative rural politician who once expressed strong anti-gay views was Monday chosen to replace scandal-plagued Barnaby Joyce as Australia’s deputy prime minister after he resigned over an affair with his now-pregnant aide. (more…)
Stonewall’s decision to boycott Pride In London has been slammed by one prominent BAME activist as not in the interest of ethnic minorities.
Yesterday, we reported that the UK’s largest LGBT+ charity, Stonewall, announced it was not going to march in this year’s parade, citing perceived issues with inclusivity and diversity. These are claims that Pride In London have strenuously denied.
One prominent activist has slammed the move, saying that it was “not the right move” for Stonewall to be making and that it is not in the interest of ethnic minority groups and called for all parties to “work together” for better representation.
Speaking to THEGAYUK.com, Edwin Sesange African LGBTI rights advocate said,
“The issue of racism and unfair representation of some communities in the LGBTI community is unacceptable and many organisations have been accused of the above in the past.
“Therefore I am not sure whether the boycott is the right move or in the best interest of ethnic minority groups.
“It is high time for all parties to work together towards a fairer representation.”
From little acorns, grow mighty oaks. Seat is on a roll at the moment, and there doesn’t seem to be any stopping them at the moment. Indeed 2017 saw sales grow by a massive 18%.
Hot on the wheels of last years new SUV the Ateca is their smaller Arona. So confident with their new model, Seat launched it in the showrooms a few months before a UK motoring launch. Their tagline for the Arona is “Do Your Thing” Safe to say Seat have.
Based on the new MQB A0 platform that is home to the 6th generation of VW Polo, Seat has jacked it up a bit and with their homegrown design, covered it in a body that is in keeping it with the Seat family. A lot has been made of the Arona’s design with it being aimed at the younger spectrum on VAG’s line up.
In some ways, it works. Looks alone are simple and classy but not packed with as much Spanish flair as you’d first have thought. This also goes for the inside. In some ways, it still has a safe approach that VW is known for. I said some time ago when I tested the Ibiza that Seat is now a stand-alone company and deserve their chance to design their cars. It’s a start but not as ‘wow’ as I’d have hoped. Take that with a pinch of salt and what Seat have given you is a small crossover SUV that is both easy on the pocket and good on the eye.
Prices start at £16,555 for the base SE model and rise to £24,235 for the Xcellence Lux. Seat has been a bit clever in their model range line up. 24 choices are available in 6 models. To make it easier there are just three engine choices of 1 litre to 1.5-litre petrol and a 1.6 diesel. All turbo’d with a few differences in performance output. All available with manual and automatic gearboxes but no four wheel drive option. This is purely a front wheel drive car.
Purchasing the car is then made easier. The options list is kept to a minimum and instead of loading up the car, you choose what you want by the trim level. This apparently makes delivery quicker. The only choice you have to make then is the body colour and roof option. Personally, I am not sure if I like this. The purchase of a new car is all about personalising it to suit you.
THEGAYUK.com tried two different models. First up was the £22,095 115ps TSi Xcellence Lux. This had pretty much all you could want with the only option being the DSG auto box. It was nice to see adaptive cruise control included along with driver profile adaptions for responses to throttle and steering.
I’m a fan of the 1-litre TSi unit, and I was keen to see how it behaved in the new MQB A0 chassis. I’m happy to report that it was well suited to the chassis with no evidence of wheel tramping from accelerating quickly from a standstill. Performance wise you won’t find many chances to try its top speed of 113mph and its 0-62mph time of 9.8 seconds isn’t going to win any awards. Economy is going to be good with an average of 56.5mpg being achievable. Exhaust emissions are 114g/km. The Arona ranges from 106g/km for the diesel to 115 for the bigger of the petrol engines.
Inside you are cosseted to a quiet ambience. Something I’ll get to later with the FR. It’s all nicely laid out and well screwed together. Some of the architecture is Seat. It demonstrates a square edge design to things like the door handles in infotainment surround. You can see where the great value in price has perhaps scuppered some material refinement inside. The dashboard top is of hard plastic, and some of the switchgear is directly carried over from the VW group. This again flags up the “not quite there” in design. The layout is simple and VAG. The dashboard on this top model doesn’t have the beauty of VAG adaptive dials. Perhaps an upgrade that will come later.
I was impressed with the new Arona. Its main attribute will be value for money. Youngsters are struggling to get themselves on the property ladder but getting into an SUV from Seat will not be a problem.
Next up on test was the 150ps 1.5 TSi Evo FR Sport with a six-speed manual for £22,040. This is Seat’s top of the range sporty model. It certainly feels sprightly over the other models in the range with 150ps available. It’ll whizz you from 0-62mp in 8.3 seconds and take you to 127mph. The new 1.5 petrol engine certainly makes light work of keeping up momentum and is very flexible. It’s fitted with a stiffer suspension set up as you would expect in a sporty derivative. It removes a lot of the body roll you get with the more subdued models. This, however, causes some upset.
What is apparent in the FR Sport is road noise. At first, we assumed it was from the big 18” alloy wheels. It turned out it wasn’t because the Xcellence Lux also wore the same sized wheels and that was able to carry itself quite serenely along your given route. This then can only be attributed to the dynamic chassis.
Do I like Arona? Yes, I do. Again I would like the see Seat use some more of that hot Spanish flair the Spaniards are known for. As for my model choice, It would have to be the Xcellence Lux. The extras you get over the normal Xcellence far outstrip the extra £1000 is very much worth it. The SE Technology from £17,545 will probably be the most popular sold model.
Love
Price
Ride in softer sprung models
Use of space
Loathe
Needs more Spanish flair
Ride noise in FR model
Some plastics a bit cheap
The Lowdown
Car – Seat Arona
Price from – £16,555 to £24,235
Available now.
This Valentine’s day I decided that I was a strong, independent gay man who needed no-one. I’d resigned myself to the fact that no cards from eligible bachelors were going to be gracing my letterbox. No flowers delivered from florists were going to be displayed on my window sill. Oh Jesus, someone get the violins out and a bottle of Prozac.
I must tell you that I did send one card though. And that was to my dear devoted mummy. The sheer embarrassment in the shop when the sales assistant asked, “ooh, who’s the lucky man?” whilst fondling the card which read I LOVE YOU. Holding up my head (and my chins), I said, “It’s for my Mum actually!” I thought I was going to throttle the bitch as she bit her lip sympathetically.
I could see it in her eyes, the look of sheer sympathy. I could read her thoughts. The poor bachelor gay boy in his mid-thirties, whose face won’t move for botox and who’s spent more time drinking sauvignon blanc than he has been in relationships.
Well, that’s what her face said but the words that actually left her mouth were:
“I hope I have a son like you one day!”
Anyway, enough of my Valentine’s card woes. Even though I’d decided I didn’t need a relationship, a man for shagging purposes might be nice. So I went to visit a dear old friend, affectionately known as an FB. I won’t explain FB in case my mum is reading. She’ll just think it stands for Facebook so let’s just leave it at that.
Preparation for a visit to the FB is crucial. Out came my tube of Veet and the manscaping commenced. Next was a visit to the spray tan booth. I whipped off my clothes and let the rays of fake sun, otherwise known as Lauren’s way, penetrate me from head to toe. You must always have a spray tan completely naked. You can’t risk any potential white bits.
Hair free and sun-kissed, I was ready for Mr FB. It was time to build up my strength for a night of Valentine’s passion so out came the spinach and the rocket. Just call me Popeye. I gobbled my way through the meal fit for Popeye and off I went.
As the passion began, we ripped each other’s clothes off. I’m fearing this column is going to turn into a snippet from a Mills & Boon. But so be it, the needs of telling this tale demand it sound so.
Now, for any man who knows me intimately, will know it doesn’t take me long before my manhood stands to full attention. A red-blooded man, Kylie would sing.
As Mr FB went to attend to my man soldier, I saw his eyes widen.
“What?” I screamed.
“Have you got some sort of skin condition?” he asked.
It was time for my eyes to widen.
“No! I fucking don’t!” I bellowed.
He instructed me to look at my erected soldier and as I did, my eyes widened even wider. Cor! Where I’d had the spray tan naked with a flaccid penis, it clearly hadn’t fake tanned all the skin. My erect penis had stripes!
“Where I’d had the spray tan naked with a flaccid penis, it clearly hadn’t fake tanned all the skin. My erect penis had stripes!”
“You’ve got a Zebra penis!” Mr FB thought it was funny. If only it was the size of a Zebras.
To quickly move on from the sheer embarrassment of the Zebra situation, I held Mr FB down and performed fellatio. I’m using that posh word in case my mum is reading. She’ll think it’s a character from a Shakespeare play.
As I pulled away from my act of fellatio, I noticed a bit of rocket dangling from the end of Mr FB’s manhood.
OH GOD, PLEASE GROUND, SWALLOW ME NOW! Normally it’s me that’s doing the swallowing.
Mr FB looked up, or I should say down actually and he noticed the rocket dangling.
“Where did that come from?” I asked innocently.
Perhaps I should avoid sexual encounters as well as relationships. Over and out from the Zebra/Rocket man…
British actor and comedian Stephen Fry revealed on Friday he has been battling prostate cancer, adding that he was currently “fit and well”. The 60-year-old wrote on Twitter that over the last two months he had “been in the throes of a rather unwelcome and unexpected adventure”.
A landscaper accused of killing Toronto gay men was charged Friday with a sixth murder after human remains found hidden in large planters were matched to a missing person. Bruce McArthur, 66, was arrested in January following an investigation into the disappearances of two men from a predominantly gay neighborhood in downtown Toronto last year, which led police to the planters at a property that he used for storage. (more…)
Britain’s largest LGBT charity will not take part in Pride In London and will instead devote resources to UK Black Pride.
The UK’s largest LGBT+ Charity, Stonewall has decided it will not take part in Pride In London this year and will instead focus its energies on UK Black Pride instead, THEGAYUK.com has learned.
The charity cited an issue with perceived failings with diversity, inclusion and representation of non-white communities, despite Pride In London not releasing any information on forthcoming events, 2018’s programme or activities that are planned surrounding this year’s event.
Some of these concerns were highlighted by the Pride’s independent advisory board in 2017. In last year’s report, the CAB (community advisory board) suggested that future prides in the capital need to focus on the bisexual, BAME and other marginalised groups amongst other suggestions.
“We have also made the decision not to attend Pride in London this year. We know this is an event that’s important to many in our communities and very much hope to attend in future years. However last year, Pride in London’s Community Advisory Board again raised concerns about the lack of diversity and inclusion at Pride in London – particularly of black and minority ethnic communities. Pride in London rejected those concerns from the community in the strongest terms and, as yet, have failed to make any public acknowledgment [sic] that they may need to make significant changes if Pride in London is to be an event for everyone.
“We continue to be very willing to support Pride in London on this journey and recognise that they are taking some steps to increase the diversity of Pride in London and the events around it. We’re looking to support Prides around Britain to create events that are as inclusive as possible of all LGBT people in their communities. It is vital that organisations listen to those they represent and respond with an openness to improve and change.
“We are excited to extend our support of UK Black Pride, have a strong presence at more community Pride events than ever, celebrate our diverse LGBT communities, and talk to thousands of LGBT people around Britain this summer.”
“Stonewall always welcome”
Today Pride In London, issued a statement to say,
“We will always welcome Stonewall to march with pride in the Parade, and we
hope to welcome their team at many community-driven events that will take
place this year, during the Pride Festival.
“Embracing diversity in all its forms, and supporting organisations like UK
Black Pride, is absolutely at the heart of our mission as a team. Our
volunteers work hard to put on an event that is for everyone. It brings our
diverse community together and gives groups, individuals, and organisations
the opportunity to show what pride means to them.
“We are working closely with the Community Advisory Board and are dedicated
to making Pride a success for all our communities – from those who have
never been involved, to those who come back year-on-year, enabling them to
celebrate, protest and march for equality.”
UK Black Pride is an event which historically takes place in London over the same weekend as Pride In London.
THEGAYUK.com reached out to Stonewall for comment.
